Take up Akshara Kaithota in schools, DK officials told

Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil has directed officials from the Education Department and the taluk panchayats EOs to work on kitchen gardens in schools under MGNREGS on a mission mode.

The work on kitchen garden can be taken up in schools on available land so that the vegetables and greens grown in the garden can be used for the mid-day meals.

Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr M R Ravi said that the work on Akshara Kaithota will be taken up in all the schools under the convergence scheme by availing of the funds from MGNREGS. Last year, 407 schools in the district had Akshara Kaithota, he informed.

The deputy commissioner also directed the officials to take up the work on constructing compound walls, playgrounds in schools. In addition, a kuccha road can be developed under MGNREGS in the villages.

Further, he directed the officials to develop a model work in every gram panchayat under MGNREGS. “Take up a special work by employing physically challenged and senior citizens under MGNREGS in every village. This will help in generating mandays and also help these physically challenged to have a dignified livelihood,” said Senthil.

Dr Ravi said, “If a women job cardholder gets her child who is less than five years old to the work site under MGNREGS, then a woman should be appointed to look after the kid and pay the daily wages under the scheme. All the 31704 SC/ST families have been issued with job cards under MGNREGS in the district.”